The thoughts & math that goes through an ultrarunners brain during a training run.

Ok, Javelina 100.... 7 weeks out. 

So... 5 easy today, tomorrow off. Sat 24-25 miles with some moderate climbing. 5am start so that means up at 4:30.

Wait, I am meeting Brian 2.5 miles away at 5am. So that means I leave at 4:30. Geeez 4:30. Geee...why am I tired? Umm cuz you get up at 4:30 you moron. Then you run a marathon for fun, then coach 2 soccer games.

Squirrel!!!

Ok, Javelina 100.... 7 weeks out.... where was I.....?

Minimum '6 hours per loop(18 min pace)' to beat the cutoff at the start of loop 5 (24 hour mark) and 30 hour finish. 6hrs per loop x 5 loops = 30 hours, simple math. WS qualifier is in the bag already.

So.... If I do a 12 min pace for loop 1 (22 miles) that is 4 hours and 24 mins. Last year I did 4:08 including a bathroom breaks and aide and that was an 11 min pace.  But the secret is that loop 1 is 22 miles, not 20. So I would actually gain 36 mins (2 x 18) at required minimum 18 mpm pace.

So.... that leaves ~25.5 hours to complete 78 miles. Each of the remaining 4 loops is 19.5. Easy....! All I have to do is hold a 19min, 15 sec pace per mile, & that will give me 30 mins to spare! That's a nice walking pace. And I love the desert. As long as my knee holds up.

3 miles an hour is all I need after the first loop? .... Shiiiiiaaaaat I can do that!   
Lizard!

Maybe. Hmmmmmm. Maybe not. 

Wait! That means I'd being walking for 24 hours straight after I ran for the first 4 and half hours .... without stopping!? Oh hell no. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot was I thinking. This is stupid. I had knee surgery 5 months ago and could go zero miles.... and it will barely be 6 months by race day.

But if you don't finish, Brian is gonna brag he qualified for States first at Cuyamaca 100k and you will hear about it every run together until you do qualify. 

Ok...5 loops, 1 loop at a time, easy peasy. Just like today's run, 5 miles easy peasy. 

Wait I have to go 20x today's distance!?  

Squirrel! Wow he was fat. He could barely move and get over that rock.

But the surgeon Dr. Afra said if I finish a 100 miler again post knee surgery he would put my picture on his wall with those other people. Some of those were pro's at their sport. Oh ya, that's cool. That guy called my beard a hipster beard. Well this hipster beard is gonna run a 100 miles and put its picture on your wall doc! Ha....!   Hmm guess I better start growing a beard again. 

3rd day or light running, why are my legs tired? I should be fresh. Ummm idiot you ran 7 with hills in your Army fatigues with a pack on Tuesday Sept 11th in memory of those lost then and since. My own annual tribute and to remember what running in pants is like. Hills and fatigues in the heat with a pack. Danggggg I am a machine. I'm basically like the Terminator. T2...! Arnold... in da state of Kalifornia....   "Karina get to da chopper  ahhhhhhhh" Hahahah.

Great here comes the X-country team form Palomar college on my trail. Ehhhh Look at me... I bounce when I run cuz my knees don't hurt. What are you like 12 years old? 14 maybe. You are like a buck 20 wet. I used to be a buck 20 wet. Of course you can do a 5 min pace. I used to be fast too buddy! Try being 6'-3" & 200 pounds.  How come that 14 year old can grow a better beard than me. Lets see you people go more than a half marathon huh!!! Cool to see younger runners loving it.

Seriously... a red light? There isn't a car or person in sight. Well I'll just go through the stupid cross walk anyways cuz its not like there is anyone near... %%$##$@!!! CAR! Sorry, my bad. Didn't see you. That was close. I will pass on telling this to the wife. "Hey honey... you almost got that 2 million insurance policy cuz your husbands an idiot...."  Naaaa she wont see the humor. But wait...if I did get hit, I'd have an excuse to not run the 100! Hmmmm. And then I'd be depressed again because I couldn't run. Man this is like a bad addiction. Hahahah I remember what Jack said, "You bastard Mike! You and Brian got me hooked on trail running like a drug addict." yes.. yes we did.

Crap... I gotta run a 100 miles in 6 weeks huh?  Wait, 6 or 7 weeks? Crap it's 6 weeks. Hmmm hope this knee holds up.

Ok, I did Javelina as my 1st hundred last year in just over 26 hours last year. I can do it in under 30 this year!

Jamil in his podcast today said that 200 miles was hard. Daaa really? Hello.... it's 200 miles Jamil! But he said he wanted to run a 200, so if Aravaipa put on a 200 he could do it from experience. 200 huh?  Hmmmm? No way. That is so dumb. That is what you said that about 100 miles 2 few years ago?

100 miles huh...  I can do that... I can do another 100 miler as long as I knock out the first loop of Javelina which is 22 miles... in under 4.5 hours. Then I only have to do, wait, what is the math again? So at a 12 min pace....
(repeat from the beginning)